Chapter 30: Itachi, Let Me Measure Your Talent!
Before his words even finished, an enormous gravitational force suddenly manifested from nowhere, acting upon all the Konoha ninja.
Universal Pull could target individuals or groups, depending on tactical needs. In normal combat, it could extract a single enemy from their formation for isolated elimination. When necessary, its range could naturally expand so an entire group couldn't escape.
This force was tremendously powerful. Even Minato could barely resist, only retreating as he was pulled back.
Watching everyone's feet leave the ground, about to lose bodily control, Akimichi Choza suddenly roared, grabbing a handful of pills and stuffing them into his mouth.
He could normally control his body's transformation automatically, but now severely injured, his control ability had drastically weakened. He could only rely on medicinal power.
Once the medicine went down, his body immediately expanded rapidly, transforming again into a Sky-reaching giant.
His feet stomped powerfully on the ground. He reached out, scooped up Minato, swung his arm, and hurled him forcefully into the distance.
Fearing Minato might return to rescue people, while throwing him, he shouted loudly:
"Fourth Hokage-sama, please bring the intelligence back to the village so they can prepare defenses!"
"Also, the Nine-Tails jinchuriki cannot be lost—please protect him well!"
"No!" Minato urgently shouted, trying to stop him, but under Universal Pull's effect, he had absolutely no way to prevent Akimichi Choza.
It must be said, Akimichi Choza's strength after becoming a giant was truly immense, completely negating Universal Pull's effect, throwing Minato out like a cannonball into the distance.
When Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi died earlier, Akimichi Choza's heart had already embraced death's resolve.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio had lived and died together for many years. Now that two had perished, he had no wish to survive alone.
He knew Minato had actually died long ago. From his combat state, he judged Minato hadn't truly resurrected and likely couldn't persist in this world much longer.
The reason he'd suddenly appeared so inexplicably was probably for his son, Naruto Uzumaki.
Now facing crisis again, Akimichi Choza wanted to use his remaining life to rescue Naruto Uzumaki.
However, Akimichi Choza knew Minato well and understood he wouldn't abandon comrades to flee, so he found him a perfect excuse, forcibly sending him away.
Minato naturally understood Akimichi Choza's good intentions. With the situation irreversible, he could only silently accept this kindness.
His eyes brimming with hot tears, he gave Akimichi Choza one deep look. Upon landing, he turned resolutely and vanished at the horizon beyond everyone's sight.
Having such a formidable enemy as Minato escape left Pain quite displeased. He immediately pressed both hands down.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Massive pressure descended from above once more. The severely wounded Akimichi Choza barely endured a moment before thunderously collapsing, dying on the spot.
Without Akimichi Choza's protection, the other ninja were completely helpless. In moments, they were annihilated.
Only after all Konoha ninja had perished did Yasushi cheerfully approach, exaggeratedly waving both arms.
"Yo!"
"Leader, I've come to join you!"
Pain hovered high in midair, his gaze unfriendly as he looked down at this culprit who'd caused his concealment plan's complete failure.
But Yasushi acted as though he saw nothing, continuing his cheerful self-introduction.
"Hey hey hey, I'm that beast valued by the clan, but who personally slaughtered every clan member—men, women, elderly, and children—to consolidate Konoha Village politicians' power—Uchiha Itachi!"
Hearing this "self-introduction," everyone involuntarily shifted their gazes toward the genuine Uchiha Itachi.
White Zetsu even covered his mouth, laughing until his entire body twisted like a pretzel.
"Pft pft pft... Itachi, this guy seems to have a grudge against you!"
Uchiha Itachi maintained his expressionless appearance, speaking casually:
"Perhaps I missed him when killing people."
"Whatever."
"So-called clan members are all just folks lacking talent."
"Using their lives to measure my talent is merely perfectly normal."
Over there, hearing Uchiha Itachi's talent theory, Uchiha Yasushi's killing intent boiled even more intensely.
"Hahaha..." He covered his face with one hand, laughing wildly.
"Well said!"
"Itachi, you speak so well!"
"You have such immense talent!"
"Come come come, since you so enjoy using clan members' lives to measure talent, then let me measure your talent again!"
After speaking, Yasushi reached into his clothes, pulling out a sealing scroll. After unrolling it, he formed seals to release what was inside.
It was a black wooden box with traces of dripping blood along the edges.
Yasushi tilted his head, cheerfully holding the box in his hands.
"Say, Itachi, guess what's in this box?"
As though not seeing the malice hidden in Yasushi's smile, Uchiha Itachi remained cold-faced, speaking indifferently:
"My talent isn't something you can fathom. My talent doesn't need your measurement."
"Is that so? Hehehehe..." Yasushi laughed strangely, reaching to open the box lid, lifting out a severed head from inside, turning the face toward Uchiha Itachi for display.
"Say, Itachi, look carefully—does this person look familiar?"
"Ta-da!"
"That's right—this is your most beloved little brother!"
"Ohahahahaha..."
This time Itachi's expression couldn't hold. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at that familiar head, crying out in disbelief:
"Sasuke!"
"Impossible!"
"It's fake—this must be fake! You put me under genjutsu!"
His Sharingan spun wildly, rapidly transforming into Mangekyo Sharingan, but what was real was real—it could never be faked.
But he completely couldn't accept this. Veins bulged on his forehead as he glared with blood-red eyes, roaring madly.
"Impossible!"
"You definitely used a Transformation Technique!"
"That must be fake!"
Seeing Uchiha Itachi's crazed appearance, Yasushi felt indescribably satisfied, feeling all the hardship along this journey had been worthwhile.
"Kekekeke..."
He laughed strangely several times, flicking his hand to toss that severed head of Sasuke toward Itachi.
"Well, since you say this was transformed with Transformation Technique, then personally examine it thoroughly yourself!"
Itachi extended trembling hands to catch that head, but a Executioner's Blade appeared from nowhere beside him, intercepting the head.
"Say, Itachi, losing your composure like this won't do!"
"Since it's an enemy, maybe they rigged this fake head with traps!"
However, this time Biwa Juzo was purely overthinking. Ordinary explosive tag traps or poison couldn't kill Itachi.
The newly obtained Rinkaichū could indeed threaten Uchiha Itachi, but that thing was uncontrollable, attacked friend and foe indiscriminately, spread too quickly, and would damage Sasuke's head—more loss than gain.
So Yasushi simply didn't do such superfluous things.
"Hmph, meddlesome!"
Yasushi glared viciously at Biwa Juzo, then sneered coldly at Itachi.
Can't kill people? Destroying hearts works too.
***
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